Kathmandu (dpa) - Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai left Nepal Thursday for a four-day visit to India in what was seen as an opportunity to mend strained ties between his ruling Maoist party and New Delhi.
Bhattarai, who was leading a 37-member delegation, told the media before his departure he was on a "goodwill visit," "directed towards building a better understanding between the two countries and two peoples."
India is fighting a Maoist insurgency and has been cool toward the Nepalese Maoists and their close ties with its rival China.
Bhattarai, a graduate from India's Jawarharlal Nehru University, took office two months ago and chose India as the destination for his first trip abroad.
"This meeting will be crucial for Nepal and India as Bhattarai himself represents the Maoists, who have been critical of India's role in Nepal," former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal told the media days ahead of the visit.
India provides Nepal's energy, is its largest trading partner and has historically exerted enormous political influence over its northern neighbour.
Bhattarai said he would focus on clearing up existing misunderstandings and creating an atmosphere of cooperation during his visit.
It was expected to focus on economic cooperation between the two nations. Bhattarai is to seek low-interest loans worth 78 billion rupees (1 billion dollars) from India to fund infrastructure projects, the construction of special economic zones and energy imports.
dpa pt lns
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